Sailing Poem by John I Nash

As I reach my boat I hear the clanking of the halyard against the mast, a sound I have longed to hear music to my ears. Excitement builds as I calmer aboard and make ready my boat for the adventure she and I will share.

Knowing wind to my stern will ease my departure, boom to port tiller pushed away to my starboard she knows her way now, this Philly of the sea. Jib starboard Main to the port we sail wings in front of the wind.

No cares, no worries all gone in pursuit of the perfect point of sail to make, we jibe to the starboard all is turmoil for seconds that seem like hours, I crank her heart in close to her body and she takes off jumping half from the water as I struggle to stay on board. Her keel bites into the sea and I let out a holler, we head for the buoy and round it close and smooth.

I run my hand along her varnished tiller praising her performance. She hears my words and picks up speed my steed that runs in the sea every bit a living thing indeed.

I fall off letting her rest because I know she gave her best. Now wind in stern, I know I must turn to battle our way home, but she is looking for a fight this night, so we tack hard into the wind, and we are found homeward bound. To soon we are back. Once secured in her bed I kiss her mast good night, what a delight.

To many crazy I may seem to love her as a being but when she was built it was the closest thing to creating life, man has seen.